News

“The Nose Knows”

Having just returned from a Johns Hopkins/All Children’s Hospital Pediatric Sleep Conference, I once again, had some measure of pride in my orthodontic profession’s contribution to the understanding of facial development that is now being medically accepted as significant to quality of life. The very things that have been such important orthodontic considerations for at least 100 years are just now gaining traction with Pediatric Child Development Specialists. For far too long Dental and Medical Professionals (Cleft Palate Teams excepted) separated themselves from interdisciplinary team approaches to comprehensive health care especially for children. Frankly, most medical evaluations never considered dental implications to disorders and dysfunction.

Fortunately, that is changing as evidenced by meetings designed to bring together everyone in the health care loop, each having a specific contribution to insure quality care and dentistry has become a welcomed partner not an orphaned step child of health care.

Ideal facial development depends on the nose. Its proper development and function is the driver for how we will look and flourish as an adult. Any event, which adversely affects airflow through our nose, creates unwanted consequences to the growing face and optimum healthy development. “A” is for airway and it is top priority because any insult such as asthma, allergies, inflammation of tonsils or adenoids, or physical restriction or obstruction will set up many unintended consequences. Case in point: one cannot be a mouth breather and be as healthy as a nose breather nor will a mouth breather’s teeth ever stay aligned. Mouth breathers will have more difficulty in school performance. Quite simply nasal breathing brings more oxygen to the brain so that we are more alert

For the nose to work properly, the maxilla (upper jaw) has to be physically wide enough for adequate airflow. The roof of the mouth is the floor of the nose and our biggest problem in orthodontics’ is that upper jaws are too narrow which means nasal airways are restricted. We see this so clearly at age 6 – 7 and many kids already have signs and symptoms of poor facial development and inadequate breathing.

Your pediatrician can tell you all the reasons why the upper jaw is not developing properly and the nose is restricted while the orthodontist can easily expand the upper dental arch so that the nose benefits and breathing normalized. Sleep, health, behavior, and learning can all benefit when the nose knows it is doing its job.

Call 822-3156 for a complimentary exam if you have a child who is a mouth breather, snores, has sleeping issues, or is sleepy during the day. It is an important discovery that you and your friends should be aware of.

John B. Harrison DDS, MSc

The Top 20 Orthodontic Benefits For Your Children

Happy-Children-for-Harrison4100-no-text

  1. Correct birth defects of the mouth- cleft lip and palate
  2. Prevent mouth deforming habits- thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip and nail biting
  3. Correct and prevent  accidents to teeth
  4. Correct sleep disturbance
  5. Breathing disorders- mouth breathing
  6. Air way restrictions- identifying tonsil and adenoid problems- age 3-5
  7. Tooth protection form clenching and grinding habits
  8. Tooth protection for contact sports -football, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, basketball
  9. Solutions for missing teeth and misplaced teeth
  10. Monitoring and guiding tooth eruption in timely manner
  11. Creating room for teeth
  12. Dietary and nutritional information
  13. Oral hygiene education and value of healthy living
  14. Early correction of jaw relationships
  15. Directing beneficial facial growth
  16. Evaluating speech
  17. Correcting malocclusion’s  overbite, under bite, open bite, closed bite, cross bite, spacing or crowding
  18. Retaining and maintained corrected tooth positions in function
  19. Improving self-confidence and enhancing responsibility
  20. Providing scientific, realistic and helpful information with dental concerns and alternative options

The Mother of the Mouth

 

Every July I look forward to my introduction of orthodontics to the UF general dentistry residents recently graduated from 10 of the best dental schools across the US and 2 from equivalent foreign countries. After 50 years of an unexplainable passion for the wonders of dentistry, I have had the privilege for 24 years to prove to young dentists that orthodontics is the mother of dentistry. That smiles are the most important accessory anyone could wear – far excelling the finest jewelry! (All respect for beautiful human adornment)  beautiful smileA beautiful smile is a permanent asset, a sign of vibrant health, friendliness, emotional maturity, self-confidence, enhanced responsibility and increased success in life. Notice I said prove not suggest!  So much more than a pretty smile is a healthier you; one who anticipates positive outcomes because eating right, sleeping well, personal hygiene, suitable exercising and an honest desire to learn the good really enhances life and gives meaning to being human.

Everything in dentistry relates to the beauty and harmony of the face and it is probably a toss up as to whether eyes or teeth are the first noticed and attract the most attention and first favorable impression. Eyes and teeth can both smile or look sinister, but perfect teeth are always awesome and inviting. I believe beautiful teeth give the best impression.

Orthodontic treatment has a huge role in developing the face to its fullest potential, improving oral hygiene, protecting teeth, breathing properly, speaking clearly, chewing efficiently, sleeping well, eating properly, avoiding the damaging effects of clenching or grinding and keeping the TMJ healthy.  Or conversely, restoring deficiencies back to nature’s original intention. We are not claiming orthodontics is a stand-alone cure all, but a vital part of the multi disciplines of dentistry’s efforts to improve health.

Bottom line; learn what orthodontics can achieve for you to build the foundation for excellent dentistry with your natural teeth or with blends of modern restorations. You can enjoy and appreciate the benefits of orthodontic treatment for a lifetime. Make a courtesy consultation appointment and hear the message and mission from a specialty that truly is the mother of the mouth.

John B. Harrison DDS, MSc

Indisputable Facts About Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is difficult enough to treat properly with the collaboration of knowledgeable doctors and dentists as teams so don’t have a fool for a patient treating yourself because of what you saw or read or hear.

Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness

Sometimes you just have to get graphic to make a point. Our mouth quickly becomes a garbage can especially with braces on. What you eat, you wear -stuck on your braces to ferment into gorilla glue plaque, which is a live animal zoo whose waste products boil and bubble up into acid the pH of stomach acid, aka vomit, that will take the hide (enamel) off your teeth in short order. If you really saw under a microscope what the bacterial enemy army’s offensive maneuver and siege works were to destroy your teeth, you would think that T-Rex of Jurassic Park was the friendly Geiko lizard. To really get an explosive mix just add the sugar/ acid combination from soda’s or sport drinks (an unfortunate food group in the American diet) to the equation and our teeth don’t have a fighting chance of survival unless you decide which ones you want to keep.

It is discouraging to see advertisements in the media circus that portray implants as the new status symbol for sexy smiles over 50. Twenty years ago it was dentures that would hold still with Polygrip when you talked or kissed your wife. This is a dental disaster, not a cause for celebration. Try as we have over the last 100 years, either Dentistry has been a sad failure at education and evangelism or nobody is listening. Why are we not keeping our natural teeth a lifetime rather than bragging how well we can bore titanium cylinders into vacant jaw bone and affix porcelain or zirconium imposters for teeth?   Friend, each tooth is what God reverently made for us, perfect in design and function, intended to last a lifetime with instructions for “Levitical” cleanliness. Check out its meaning in your Bible. Methuselah’s teeth lasted 969 years, without the American Dental Association instructing him in the use of an electric toothbrush, yet we accept loosing teeth as a “normal” part of aging.

All the whining and whaling about the high cost of health care is mostly our own fault because we take such poor care of ourselves when it comes to eating, sleeping, and exercise. There will never be enough doctors to go around in a nation bent on irresponsible self-destruction nor will there ever be enough money to fix us no matter how much money of ours the federal government throws at the problem. If we just had some responsible individual health caring, then Health Care would not dominate the news.

There are a lot simpler and less expensive answers my friends, than implants, transplants, artificial body parts and pricey drugs none of us can afford on our own. Just as you would not desecrate a holy place, treat your body the same way because it is holy. Interestingly, Godliness doesn’t cost a dime- its free health care for all.

John B. Harrison DDS,MSc

“Going Clear” (without Scientology)

We all like clear skies, clear water, and clear coast so why not clear braces?  Fine for some, but not for Blue/Orange gator fans or Garnet/Gold nole fanatics. How bout Carolina Blue, “Dook” Dark Blue, Green Devil Green, Black for Goths, and Pink for chest issues?  Had I listened to my 5-year-old daughter in 1970 who wanted Purple braces I would be a wealthy orthodontist, but I missed out on that old adage “find out what they want and give it to them”. Like the old Model T Fords, you could have any color so long as it was Black. Cars were just Black, tennis outfits were White and braces were Silver “and God saw that it was good”. But that was back then before color activists cried for equal rights for every hue. I’d be out of business if I didn’t offer colored braces to discriminating pre-adolescents and teens. So its clear we need color to accessorize our personality and it appears we also need something invisible because we all like to hide things – even ourselves at times (“and Adam and his wife his themselves from the presence of the Lord”).

So it’s also clear that we’ve got to hide braces in one of three ways.

  1. Hide them on the inside of teeth, which is difficult and expensive and requires high tech digital imaging and robots to pre-make all the very nice equipment.
  2. Camouflage the braces on the outside with clear glass brackets instead of traditional metal.
  3. Use the properties of clear plastic trays to push teeth into position instead of pulling them into position with fixed appliances.

So whether you want to be pushed or pulled with clear or color to achieve a beautiful smile – come see us to help you decide.

John B. Harrison DDS,MSc

Over the Wire

Over the Wire From Reelewired

 

That title, my friends and web grazers, dates me. Sadly, you millennial’s won’t get it so let me explain. No sooner than the Pony Express was finally getting letters to California from the East in 7 – 10 days, the telegraph wires were strung across the continent allowing Morris Code messages to be tapped out and instantly received on the other end. So over the wire is the way the world first communicated important history changing messages as well as lots of nonsense like today’s “twitter”.  OK, radio messages are wireless and computer emails are wireless, but look out the window and you will still see all the wires going down the street and into houses that allow you to turn on your message sender -so communication still comes down wires, now made out of a variety of materials. So “over the wire” many good things arrive to improve our lives, especially, orthodontic wire. I stay excited and stoked about my wires (also handy for fishing) and how good they can make you look – now you know why I go by reelewired.

 

I have just launched a bran spanking new Web site (yes, new born babies were spanked to start breathing- the genesis of CPR): www.jbharrisondds.com that should tell you everything you need to know about how orthodontics is the foundation of dentistry and the Number 1 most important factor contributing to the beauty of the face and attracting the attention of others. Flash a beautiful smile and the world is yours. I do not understand burkas and hooded masks over faces- a sure sign of severe unhappiness.

 

So take some time and tell your friends to browse around my Web page. We have blogs and videos and great links to encourage you to send your kids to dental school and brush your teeth a little better. Teeth are fantastic gifts to us, built to last and stronger than any part of the body, so treat them like you would a Stradivarius or Lamborghini and help them look their best.

 

 

John B. Harrison DDS,MSc

“I’m beginning to see the light”

This was the title of that great classic 40’s infectious tune of my generation by Duke Ellington and Harry James’. OK young lovers, you can search it out on YouTube for some jive and jazz from us old folks, but it is really seeing the true LIGHT which shines at Christmas that I want to share. All the bright Christmas lights shining throughout this Seeing the Lightwondrous season are a reminder that the light of this world meant to be seen is; Christ Jesus, God’s incarnate Son, who claimed to be the light of the world, the truth of the world, the life of the world, the Lord of the world and our only Salvation. Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or truly, as he claimed, King of Kings, Lord of Lords and Savior.

Praying that all who are living in darkness will be beginning to see the light!

Merry Christmas to all and a New Light Year

John B. Harrison DDS, MSc

The Extra Mile & then some

 “And whoever compels you go one mile, go with him two”

Jesus

“for God loves a cheerful giver”

Paul

 These two quotes guide my life and my office procedures. We are in business to over deliver, to exceed your expectations, to go over, above and beyond the standards of care which unfortunately eliminate caring from the equation. This is really a sacred pledge to our patients and would be considered a serious breach in our relationship if we did not measured up to this plumb line.

The motivation for publicly declaring my living compass is because of the evidence my trusted colleagues and I see coming in to our offices. It is disturbing and is happening more frequently and can only be described as sub-par, designed to fail, ignorance of basic principles of dentistry without any thought given to the best interest of the patient. The few fillings I have were placed by Dr. Charles Martin 60 years ago, bless his soul, and the restorations I placed in my wife, Carolyn, in dental school are as good as the day they were placed 50 years ago. I had the pleasure of seeing on of my dad’s patients last week with beautiful textbook alignment 58 years out of braces. Yes, I do see great dentistry done by the tried and true professionals and I am proud of the high standards and dignity the majority of dentists live up to, but I never thought we would ever have to send up a “buyer beware” flag over our profession.

Some might attribute this noticeable downward slide to the effects of 2008, but hard times are no excuse for lack of integrity or moral failure. People have gotten so price conscious about purchases that long term value is a lost consideration. Built in obsolescence and throw away merchandise might be a boost to the economy, but it is lousy for dentistry, which is very demanding and requires the best of materials. Our obligation and duty is to continually improve our dentistry knowing full well that it will cost us more to deliver because we are committed to going the extra mile and then some.

I know it is difficult to appreciate the difference in the quality of service you receive from the “washed” as opposed to the “unwashed” because it really depends on the kind of person the dentist really is and are they willing to show you the long term benefit their dentistry will accomplish for you. This is not something you learn from glitzy advertisements. Rest assured that there are plenty of first class dentists in Pinellas County, but a few “Snake Oil” salesmen with a “cheating heart” have snuck in.

John B. Harrison DDS,MSc

The Florida “Pottery”

Cannabis-As health care professionals we dentist should be concerned about this hallucinatory idea that the use of “medical” marijuana should be decided by a public vote. Imagine the consequences of allowing lawyers, politicians, and the permissive public to practice medicine without the necessary education, judgment and license. This is more insane than a developing brain will become with extended use of cannabis. This issue belongs under FDA jurisdiction, which has already approved two detoxified cannabis compounds that can be legitimately prescribed by a physician, and other countries are researching extraction processes that may prove useful, but it must be science not Scientology!

This Amendment 2 has more loopholes than rotting lace curtains: no oversight, no parental permission, no standard of care, no medical training required, no background checks, druggies, addicts, drug dealers, and convicted felons welcome to the “for the people” public hog trough, no age limit, no specific pain or ailment, no control over how many pot laced cookies kids can eat or help-us-prevent-the Girl Scouts can sell, or how much “rope” smoke haze it takes to cloud your thinking and reaction time to danger. The pushers of this deal made certain not to have it obtained thru a legitimate pharmacy but from pot shops popping up next to all the e-cigarette vapor stalls. The mentality; find out what people want and sell it  – not much chance for a no vote for euphoria.

I hope you will join me in opposing this marijuana masqurade in your office with the excellent educational materials provided by Drug Free America. I will get them to you if you wish. Marijuana causes too many problems for us to unleash a demon free for all. Dangerous dogs need choke collars, chain leashes, secure fences and a shotgun in the hands of a responsible owner.

Check out www.dontletflgotopot.com

John B. Harrison DDS, MSc